FLEX’eBRID: Low-Carbon Industrial Heat to Boost Competitiveness

Amine Benkirane, Head of New Solutions Development at ENGIE Local Energy Infrastructures, shares insights into this offering, its use cases, and its potential for industrial players.

In one sentence, what problem are you trying to solve?

Enable industrial players to decarbonize their heat production while sustainably controlling their energy costs.

How would you explain your project to someone unfamiliar with your sector?

We replace part of gas-based heat production with smart electric boilers. These systems generate heat when electricity is low-carbon and cost-efficient, and they adapt in real time to the needs of the power grid—without requiring any upfront investment from the client.

Who are your clients and who uses your solution?

Our clients are industrial sites with high heat consumption (steam, hot water). The solution is used by energy managers and technical teams on-site, as well as ENGIE teams responsible for operations and energy management.

What benefits does your solution deliver?

FLEX’eBRID enables:

• an immediate and measurable reduction in CO₂ emissions,
• optimized heat pricing, no CAPEX for the client,
• and value sharing through participation in electricity grid flexibility mechanisms.

What will you showcase at the ENGIE stand at VivaTech?

We will present FLEX’eBRID through real industrial use cases, a clear explanation of gas-to-electricity optimization, and the key role industrial flexibility plays in the energy transition.

What key message would you like visitors to take away?

Decarbonizing industrial heat is already possible today—without upfront investment—while improving economic performance and contributing to grid stability.

VivaTech’s theme is “AI: Impact, not illusion.” What role does AI play in your solution?

Artificial intelligence is used to optimize real-time system operations, forecast energy prices, and activate flexibility levers. In the long run, it will enable more autonomous and large-scale management of industrial assets across Europe.

What is your next major challenge in the short to medium term?

Scaling up deployment of the solution in France and across Europe, while continuously adapting it to evolving market and regulatory frameworks.

If your innovation fully achieves its goal, what will have changed in five to ten years?

Industrial heat will be largely electrified, flexible, and intelligently managed—becoming a key driver of industrial competitiveness and the transition to a low-carbon energy system.